We have used many CRM – SaaS – Marketing Automation software systems over the years. Yes – I even recall cold calling with a physical milk crate full of manilla folders in the passenger seat. That was my first CRM. Today’s systems are incredibly powerful, they remember things we cannot keep track of. They can send out information on a schedule and even to a person you have segmented to receive it. These systems are life changing. They have greatly improved our business internally. Where would we be without this tool?
We volunteer our time up to ten hours per month to help start-ups and entrepreneurs learn how to use our favorite tool, Infusionsoft. These are small group meetings ranging from one to twenty-five. Whoever comes, gets help. It is that simple.
Over the years, we have noticed something in common with the struggling subscribers of Sales Force, Ace of Sales, Eloqua and even Infusionsoft. First we admit the learning curve of mastering these tools is very steep. However, there are some expectations that are not being met and I would like to mention what those are and why they may never be met by spending money on such a system.
How do I know these things? I have either done them, expected them to happen or moreover, been a part of a discussion involving such beliefs. Let’s talk about these issues and concerns in context of the tool I know the best.
Infusionsoft Will Not Maintain Itself
Reality based conversations. | We get real and we stay that way. We know that no amount of great marketing, sales techniques, software as a service (Saas) or operational consulting will fix a bad entrepreneur. We are prepared to deliver our best, to enable you to raise your anchor through the one set of activities that sets the best apart from the rest.
Infusionsoft is a great tool, but it is only a tool. In the end, you are responsible for how you choose to use it. It is not a mind reader, and it cannot derive or extrapolate implied information. As they say, “garbage in, garbage out.”
When you use Infusionsoft, it’s up to you to educate your prospects, clients and staff on how you can maintain a pristine, clean database.
For example, Infusionsoft uses the primary email address listed as a unique identifier, much like the government uses your SSN or SIN. When people enter the same email for multiple records or registrations and you have your “duplicate record check” set, you need to understand that new data will overwrite the old data.
Without this understanding, you could be throwing away the information for potential new business opportunities and not even realize it!
Keep your data clean at all times. Check for duplicate records every time that you import data, and every month after that. Have your settings on your WebForms and Landing Pages auto check whenever any data is filled out.
A failure to remove duplicate records could mean that you’re sending repeat messages to targets, annoying and harassing them and ultimately turning them away from your business.
How does your prospect know that you bought your list? Probably because you imported it in ALL CAPS, and when you merged the fields it stays in ALL CAPS.
Come on — is that really the kind of message you want to send your prospect? Is that the kind of message you want to receive? Present yourself in a professional manner by eliminating typos and all caps and by using clean, correct grammar in all of your content. Low-quality content simply shows prospects that you don’t take pride in the quality of your work.
Teach and train yourself and other users to enter the correct data into the correct fields. If you fail to do so, you’re not going to reach out to the correct contacts or will be operating on false information.
Remember: Infusionsoft is not an interpreter — it’s just a parrot, only repeating what you have put into it.
Gather Information Your Prospect is Not Willing to Give
In this day of suspect internet security, many prospects are understandably unwilling to share private information. However, you need this information to fill out your Infusionsoft forms and keep in contact with them.
Strategic Planning. | This service digs deep into your processes, your systems and your strategy. We make sure you have defined, rigidly and systematically, your perfect prospective customer. This definition must include the obvious demographics but more importantly the psycho-graphics. Then we test your willpower to prove that your approach, your tactics, your messages and your core offerings match what that perfect prospective customer is looking for. We require that you understand and can articulate your plan, your vision, your position statement effectively and with fire in your gut. With our strategic planning session your target customer will be redefined, your marketing tactics will no longer be in question, you will have a strong and decisive position statement, you’ll know your strengths, admit to your weaknesses, relish in your accomplishments and learn from your mistakes.
Therefore, you need to offer them something compelling in return. The more compelling your offer, the more information they’ll be willing to part with, such as:
- Their role in life or career
- Date of birth
- Annviersary
- Spouse or child’s name
- Where they were born or raised
- Employment history
- Personal interests
- Social media links
- Their beliefs that impact your offer
All of this information would allow you to target your prospect better. But how compelling is your offer? Infusionsoft can’t help you there — only you can make sure that you’re offering your prospects a good enough product or experience in return for their information.
Fix a Bad Business
There are certain aspects of your business that simply can’t be fixed with Infusionsoft, meaning you need to take the responsibility for these things yourself before you get started. If a business model does not appeal to the audience in your system, the system will not make millions.
Infusionsoft WILL NOT:
- Tell you how to price an item.
- Close deals by itself. You need to be able to use your own personal touch.
- Single-handedly convey your message in the way you want to get it across.
- Establish morals and ethics that are not present in your business or your prospects’ businesses. This is hugely important!
- Change your personality or the personality of your prospect.
- Change your image.
- Establish sound policy, procedures or processes.
- Plug a cable into your head and download.
It’s easy to look for a scapegoat when your business or software is not functioning the way you want it to. Heck, blaming Infusionsoft is a whole lot easier than looking in the mirror and figuring out the real reasons for your issues.
But if you want to have any hope of finding success with Infusionsoft, you need to take a long, hard look at the problems facing your company before you get started with Infusionsoft and determine which ones you need to solve on your own first.
Measure Inactivity
Guess what: Infusionsoft doesn’t magically fix all of your problems as soon as you purchase it, and it won’t make all of your prospects magically engage with your content.
When your customers don’t get engaged, realize this about Infusionsoft:
- It will not tell you WHY your customers aren’t getting engaged.
- If you hit the wrong button, you will send the wrong message.
- The AUTO RE BUY option might not be the best course of action, especially if you’re doing it just because you need the sales.
Yes, lack of engagement is a problem. Cookies, tracking and unopened emails are on the rise all over the place, partially because of the sheer volume of emails people receive on a daily basis and partially because of increasing security. Emails used to automatically open images, for example, and now users have to allow images to be displayed, which could lead to the email not being registered as “opened” if they decline the option.
Remember: the best way to make sure that you’re getting loyalty and repeat business out of your customer is showing the customer that you are dedicated to meeting their needs and that you are committed to putting forward a high quality product. Those are issues that you have to address outside of Infusionsoft.
Grow a Wallflower
If you’re not being socially active, and if you are not doing everything you can to actively engage with your customers, then there’s not really a point of using Infusionsoft.
Teach, Train, Mentor, Lead, Develop, Implement and bring Results. | Our small business experts can consult or coach on a wide variety of important business topics, including sales optimization and management, sales training, automated relationship marketing, eMarketing, strategic planning and much more. Our thought process is very simple. First we seek to understand, before we seek to be understood. When the team at Viral Solutions brings their minds to your business, you are getting all of our collective experiences. We will not sugar coat the reasons behind our input. We will not withhold our best solutions. We will not limit our implementation strategies. We will tell you exactly how we see it. The results you experience will be the sum of your strategy, your defined target audience, your commitment to serve your customer and our process of delivery. That means we are an integral part of your team!
Consider the following points:
- If you have a single approach and don’t integrate your message in a 360 degree format, then that’s what it will remain. Social media is SOCIAL first and foremost.
- If you don’t engage with your audience, Infusionsoft won’t do it for you. When the time is right, you need to get personal.
- If you don’t LOGIN, it won’t REPORT to you.
- It won’t demand that you show up for work.
- It won’t turn a passive voice into a confident voice.
Most of all, Infusionsoft cannot execute a marketing plan that you’ve never written!
Get active on social media. Participate in discussions on Twitter and Facebook. Expand your presence on LinkedIn and position yourself as an expert in your field. Be proactive about starting conversations, not just joining them.
If you are a wallflower, Infusionsoft can’t help you. But if you are a social butterfly, then it can be a powerful tool.
Today’s sales and marketing automation software is amazing. Buying it is not the part that makes you and I amazing. Breaking bad business habits and treating the tool like the chief in your business is how you really make them hum.
Copyright 2015 Viral Solutions LLC
by Thomas von Ahn | Chief Elephant Slayer
Watch out elephants! This slayer of business challenges comes with 30 years of record breaking sales, marketing, operations, training and leadership experience . He has worked face-to-face with 100’s of small business owners as well as large firms. His love of creating, communicating, developing and executing results for clients shines with each project, publication and training event. His entrepreneurial spirit, passion, industry experience, education, problem-solving prowess, charismatic personality and been-there-done that attitude leads his client focused approach.
Viral Solutions LLC is a Digital Marketer Certified Partner and an Infusionsoft Certified Consultant.
We help overwhelmed small business owners duplicate themselves – so business can be fun again.
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